Silver Mulch A Mulch or Repellent?

Silver mulch is polyethylene sheeting coated with a thin layer of aluminum that reflects ultraviolet rays.
Many studies have been published comparing plants grown on silver mulch to the same plants on black mulch showed that in addition to repelling more harmful insects (aphids, whiteflies), silver mulch also attracted nearly twice as many beneficial insects to the area.
Silver mulch benefits multiple crops in the garden. It decreases insect and disease damage to tomatoes and delays the onset of aphid-borne diseases in squash, melons, cucumbers, and corn until plants and fruit are more mature and less likely to be seriously damaged.
Silver mulch reflects sunlight back into the plant canopy, providing sunlight for the shady underside of leaves. The additional light helps some varieties of vegetable plants grow bigger and more quickly than they would with light-absorbing black plastic mulch.